Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 2 : Amid the ongoing row over the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the country, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Sunday said that their party is not against the implementation of the UCC but they do not support Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) way of implementing it.
Addressing a press conference in Lucknow, Mayawati said, "Our party (BSP) is not against the implementation of UCC, but we do not support the way BJP is trying to implement Uniform Civil Code in the country. It is not right to politicize this issue and forcefully implement UCC in the country."
Appreciating the implementation of UCC in the country, BSP Supremo said that UCC will strengthen the nation and unite India by developing a sense of brotherhood adding that forceful implementation is not right and government should focus on issues like unemployment and education.
"The implementation of UCC will strengthen the country and unite Indians. It will also develop a sense of brotherhood among people. The forceful implementation of UCC is not right, politicizing this issue will create problems. The government should currently focus on issues like inflation, unemployment, education, and healthcare," she said.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the country cannot run on two laws and that the UCC was part of the Constitution. This statement of PM Modi triggered a nationwide debate as several opposition leaders have accused PM Modi of raising the UCC issue for political gains ahead of the upcoming elections.
"Today people are being instigated in the name of UCC. How can the country run on two (laws)? The Constitution also talks of equal rights...Supreme Court has also asked to implement UCC. These (Opposition) people are playing vote bank politics," Modi said.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice has called a meeting on the UCC on July 3 during which it said it will hear the views of stakeholders.
The committee led by BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Modi informed all the 31 MPs and members of the committee that their views on UCC would be sought and considered at the meeting.
The Uniform Civil Code is a proposal in India to formulate and implement personal laws of citizens which apply to all citizens equally regardless of their religion, sex, gender, and sexual orientation. Currently, the personal laws of various communities are governed by their religious scriptures.
The code comes under Article 44 of the Constitution which lays down that the state shall endeavour to secure a Uniform Civil Code for the citizens throughout the territory of India.
Notably, in BJP's 2019 Lok Sabha election manifesto, the party promised the implementation of UCC if it came to power.
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